There’s No Culture Like Your Own
In 1972, right around Christmas, president Nixon visited the People’s Republic of Taiwan in order to congratulate the country on their recent annexation from China. A year later Sun Yet-Sen Memorial Hall was built on St. John’s University’s Queens Campus to commemorate the new relationship between the nations. The purpose of the building was to promote cultural diffusion between the nations. However, the most interesting aspect of the newfound relationship has been the artwork that has graced the wall of Sun Yet-Sen Memorial Hall over the years. A recent visit to the St. John’s University archives introduced students to the intricate and vibrant work of Taiwanese artist, Lin Chih-hsin. Though he is best known for his printmaking expertise, it’s important to note that he was also an excellent educator to young children for almost forty years.
( The Formosion Ami Dance, 1975. Lin Chih-hsin . Color block wood print http://digitalmemory.stjohns.edu/digital/api/singleitem/image/sju-art-coll/43/default.jpg?highlightTerms=Lin%20Tse-Tsin )
The Formosion Ami Dance is a woodblock printed by Lin Chih-hsin in 1975. The piece was created as a commemoration of a popular ceremony in Ami culture known as the Harvest Festival. As an ode to his heritage, Chih-hsin sought to “create lively and fresh images of the island.” Over the course of the seven-day Harvest Festival, native tribes congregate together to pray and celebrate amongst other tribe activities. Grateful prayers are sent up to the ancestral gods for the productivity of the recent harvest, and many also pray for a bumpier harvest, population growth and livestock breeding within the new year. (Wikipedia 2019, par. 2) This depiction of the joyous celebrations shows one of the most important aspects of the festival — dancing! Singing and dancing are used as a primary means of communication with the souls of ancestors and the god. Dancing is primarily done within a circle to keep out the bad spirits and consists of walking, jumping and running formations. By the end of the ceremony, there is usually a new head chief and the younger members of the tribe have chosen their partners.
Chih-hsin was able to achieve the variety of bright colors, patterns and intricate details within his work because of the color woodblock printing process. The technique involves carving a relief of the desired image into a block of wood, rolling ink onto said block and then ultimately printing or rubbing the image onto a piece of newsprint paper. The Formosion Ami Dance print in the St. John’s University archives is the 3rd print in a run of 70.
(East Coast National Scenic Area, 2019. https://www.eastcoast-nsa.gov.tw/content/images/static/2-1-4-00.jpg )
The Formosion Ami Dance is alluring because it captures a blissful moment in time. Through a series of clear and powerful lines accompanied by illuminating colors, the viewer is able to understand why the artist is so proud of his heritage. Observing Chih-hsin’s work allows viewers to take a step back and immerse themselves within another culture. No matter where you live, you know someone who isn’t from the same ethnic background as your family. Maybe you can relate to what you see or the experience might be completely new, but you can’t pull yourself away. The piece teaches individuals to walk boldly in their heritage and to be open and curious about the possibilities within other cultures.
(The Makeup of Chinese Opera, 1975. Lin Chih-hsin Color wood block print http://digitalmemory.stjohns.edu/digital/collection/sju-art-coll/id/40/rec/1
Another piece Chih-hsin created that ties into the idea of embracing your culture includes The Makeup of Chinese Opera, which was printed in the same year. Traditional Taiwanese and or Chinese opera performances often require men to wear makeup in order to embody specific roles. This piece depicts three specific performers: a Xiao Sheng, Lao Sheng and Wu Sheng. Xiao Sheng were charming and graceful young men who sang long notes. Lao Sheng were middle-aged men with long beards who sang with deep voices and had a fluid sense of movement. Wu Sheng were handsome young men who were especially skilled in martial arts. In The Makeup of Chinese Opera, Chih-hsin used red, yellow and blue hues to depict the preparations of monks before they went on stage for a performance. His use of silhouetted figures and shades of purple and black to blend together perfectly to form the piece’s background. Yet again, the viewer is asked to explore another interesting aspect of Taiwanese culture. When you look beyond the surface level, it’s amazing what you’ll find.
Chih-hsin’s work is vital today because it challenges the viewer to experience aspects of different cultures with a lens of understanding rather than judgment. It’s in our nature to believe that what goes on in our individual lives are “normal” and the most important occurrences. We usually overlook one another, not bothering to peer any deeper if there isn’t an immediate connection. However, if we can start to navigate the world by means of learning rather than assumption it’s very possible to think that we can shift the direction of American culture. The soulful and hue filled prints by Chih-hsin remind us that we live in the land of the free, separate but equal. Divided by state, but united at heart.
References
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). “Unfurling an Artist’s Vision.” Taiwan Today. Accessed November 20, 2019. https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=20,29,35,45&post=24852.
KAOHSIUNG MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS — Data Display. Accessed November 20, 2019. http://collection.kmfa.gov.tw/kmfa/e_artsdisplay.asp?systemno=0000002070&viewsource=list.
Introduction On Taiwanese Opera. Accessed November 20, 2019. http://library.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2015/gsh7963/Taiwance_opera.html.
“Ami’s Harvest Festival.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, November 2, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ami’s_Harvest_Festival.
